Pittwater Council | Council announces renewable energy project

Pittwater Council voted to approve a renewable energy project at its meeting on Monday 17 May. The project will invest funds in local renewable energy, in particular solar power generation for Council-owned buildings.

Mayor Harvey Rose said the Council was committed to leading the Pittwater community on sustainability issues.

“Sustainability is at the forefront of all our thinking, “ said Mayor Rose.

Mayor Rose said the Council had been purchasing GreenPower since 2006 to help offset its CO2 emissions and would now take the next step by investing the funds saved into renewable energy schemes in public buildings.

“This highlights to the community that renewable energy is a viable alternative.“

The first site to be considered for renewable energy is Newport Community Centre. The Centre is already fitted with solar panels but more will be installed over the next two financial years.

Other Council buildings will be progressively assessed for their suitability for alternative energy sources. The Council already has solar panels installed on several buildings, including the Coastal Environment Centre, the administration building at Mona Vale and Avalon Recreation Centre.

Mayor Rose said that ultimately Newport Community Centre would have a 10kw solar system, saving 13 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year moving it towards becoming a carbon neutral building.

“There are clear financial benefits associated with this project. Energy prices are expected to rise significantly over the next few years and decreasing our demand for ‘black power’ will reduce costs in the long run,” he said.